Lantana plant named `Anne Marie`

ABSTRACT

A distinctive cultivar of Lantana plant named `Anne Marie`, characterized by its compact, dense, bushy and outwardly spreading growth habit; pubescent stems and leaves; very dark green leaves; numerous inflorescences; initially bright yellow petals that become various shades of dark pink to purple during development; and good weather tolerance.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lantanaplant, botanically known as Lantana camara, and hereinafter referred toby the cultivar name `Anne Marie`.

The new Lantana was discovered by the Inventor in Hawthorne, Fla., as anaturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the nonpatented Lantanacamara cultivar `Irene`, and was observed as a single plant in a groupof plants of the parent cultivar during the Spring of 1996.

Asexual reproduction of the new Lantana by softwood cuttings inHawthorne, Fla., has shown that the unique features of this new Lantanaare stable and reproduced true to type in successive propagations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Lantana has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature and light and fertility levels, without,however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of plants of the new Lantana anddifferentiate plants of the new Lantana from other commercial Lantanacultivars known to the Inventor:

1. Plants of the new Lantana are compact, dense and bushy with anoutwardly spreading growth habit.

2. Plants of the new Lantana have pubescent stems and leaves.

3. Plants of the new Lantana have very dark green leaves.

4. Plants of the new Lantana are very floriferous.

5. Flowers of plants of the new Lantana are bright yellow after opening,become various shades of dark pink to purple during development and fadeto light pink.

6. Plants of the new Lantana exhibit good weather tolerance and are verytolerant to high temperatures.

Plants of the new Lantana can be compared to plants of the parentcultivar, `Irene`. However in side-by-side comparisons conducted inHowthorne, Fla., and Keller, Tex., plants of the new Lantana differ fromplants of the cultivar Irene in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Lantana are more compact than plants of thecultivar `Irene`.

2. Plants of the new Lantana are outwardly spreading whereas plants ofthe cultivar `Irene` are upright and open in plant habit.

3. Plants of the new Lantana are denser and more freely branching thanplants of the cultivar `Irene`. Plants of the new Lantana do not requirepinching whereas plants of the cultivar `Irene` require pinching toproduce full plants.

4. Plants of the new Lantana have smaller leaves than plants of thecultivar `Irene`.

5. Plants of the new Lantana have shorter internodes than plants of thecultivar `Irene`.

6. Plants of the new Lantana are more floriferous than plants of thecultivar `Irene`.

Plants of the new Lantana can also be compared to plants of thecultivar, `Robcomplan`, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,837. Howeverin side-by-side comparisons conducted in Hawthorne, Fla., and Keller,Tex., plants of the new Lantana differ from plants of the cultivar`Robcomplan` in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Lantana grow faster and are larger and much morevigorous than plants of the cultivar `Robcomplan`.

2. Plants of the new Lantana are outwardly spreading whereas plants ofthe cultivar `Robcomplan` are upright in plant habit.

3. Plants of the new Lantana have larger and broader leaves than plantsof the cultivar `Robcomplan`.

4. Plants of the new Lantana have longer internodes than plants of thecultivar `Robcomplan`.

5. Plants of the new Lantana have larger inflorescences than plants ofthe cultivar `Robcomplan`.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Lantana, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. The photographon the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical plantof `Anne Marie` grown in a one-gallon container. The photograph on thesecond sheet comprises a side perspective view of typical plants of thecultivars `Irene`, `Robcomplan`, and `Anne Marie` (left to right) grownin one-gallon containers showing the differences in plant size andgrowth habit. Actual flower and foliage colors may differ from flowerand foliage colors in the photographs due to light reflectance.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following observations, measurements and values describe plantsgrown in Hawthorne, Fla., and Keller, Tex., under conditions whichapproximate commercial practice. Single plants were grown in one-galloncontainers under conditions which closely approximate commercialproduction conditions. In the following description, color referencesare made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Lantana camara cultivar `Anne Marie`.

Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of nonpatentedLantana camara cultivar `Irene`.

Propagation:

Type.--By softwood cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.--About 14 days at temperatures of 24 to 32° C.

Time to develop roots.--About 30 days at temperatures of 24 to 32° C.

Rooting habit.--Fine, freely branching, fibrous.

Plant description:

Plant form and growth habit.--Perennial shrub with outwardly spreadingand horizontal growth habit. With subsequent growth, plant habit maybecome decumbent. Very freely branching, plants dense and bushy withshort internodes; pinching is typically not required to produce fullplants. Flowers abundant and flowering continuous.

Growth rate/crop time.--Relatively rapid growth rate. After plantingrooted cuttings into one-gallon containers, about six weeks are requiredto produce finished plants. Plants of the new Lantana typically do notrequire growth retardants.

Plant height.--About 17 cm.

Plant width.--About 42 cm.

Stem description.--Lateral branch diameter: About 5 mm. Internodelength: About 2 cm. Strength: Relatively rigid. Stem color: Immature,greener than 144A; Mature, woody, brownish gray. Stem texture:Pubescent; coarse white hairs.

Foliage description.--Arrangement: Opposite. Length: About 5.7 cm.Width: About 4.2 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse totruncate. Margin: Serrate. Aspect: Flat to concave. Texture: Very rough;coarse white hairs on both surfaces. Color: Young foliage, uppersurface: 147A. Young foliage, lower surface: 147B. Mature foliage, uppersurface: Close to 147A. Mature foliage, lower surface: Close to 147B.Petiole length: About 1.25 cm. Petiole diameter: About 2 mm. Petiolecolor: Greener than 144A.

Flower description:

Flowering habit.--Scalloped flowers arranged in terminal and axillaryinflorescences. Numerous inflorescences per plant; number ofinflorescences depends on plant size and number of lateral branchesdeveloped. Several inflorescences per lateral branch in flowersimultaneously. Flowers held upright and are not persistent.

Natural flowering season.--Early spring until late fall; floweringcontinuous.

Quantity of flowers.--Numerous, usually about 21 flowers per head.

Inflorescence/flower size.--Inflorescences about 3.7 cm in diameter;individual flowers about 1 cm in diameter and about 1.4 cm in height.

Peduncle.--Peduncle angle: About 45° to stem. Strength: Flexible, buthold inflorescences upright. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 144A.

Flower bud.--Diameter: About 6 mm. Length: About 6 mm.

Petals.--Arrangement: Typically four, occasionally five fused at base.Shape: Rounded, scalloped. Length: About 5 mm. Width: About 4 mm. Tubelength: About 1.3 cm. Tube diameter: About 2 mm. Apex: Rounded. Margin:Minutely fringed. Aspect: Flat and perpendicular to tube or slightlyupright. Texture: Smooth. Color: Before opening: Purple, 61A, to53B/53C. Open flowers: Upper surface: Initially bright yellow, 9A;becoming reddish pink, 53B/53C; to purple, 61A; fading to light pink,62A/62B. Lower surface: Initially light yellow, 10B/10C; then becominglight pink, close to 62C. Tube: Close to 53B/53C.

Sepals.--Shape: Lanceolate. Length: About 7.5 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 147A.

Reproductive organs.--Stamens: Quantity: Usually four. Anther shape:Bilobate. Anther length: About 0.75 mm. Pollen color: Yellow, close to9A. Pistils: Length: About 3.5 mm. Stigma color: Light green. Stylecolor: Light green.

Fruit.--Diameter About 5 mm. Texture: Initially smooth, wrinkled whendry. Color: Immature, green, darker than 141A; mature, black.

Disease resistance: Plants of the new Lantana have not exhibitedsusceptibility to pathogens common to Lantana.

Weather tolerance: Plants of the new Lantana exhibit good weathertolerance with very good tolerance to high and low temperatures typicalof zones 7 to 10 (U.S.D.A. Hardiness Zone Map).

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Lantana plant named `Anne Marie`,as illustrated and described.